Hydraulic clutch



J. S. WIGNALL, JR, AND O. E. McCLELLAN. HYDRAULIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1919.

1,418,761. t n e June 6, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI l.

INVENTOR3.

' BY VMJZMM.

ATTORNEY .I. S. WIGNALL, 18 AND ohE. McCLELLAN.

HYQRAULIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1919.

Patented June 6, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY irosn s. men, an, am) e '1 E. McCLELLAN, 0E PAN, UTAH.

mnaumo CLUTCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH S. WIGNALL, Jr., and OKLA E. MoCLnLLAN citizens of the United States, residing at fayson, the county of Utah and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Clutches, of which the followin is a specification.

6m invention relates to hydraulic clutches, and has for its object to provide an oil clutch by which power may be transmitted from a driving shaftto a driven shaft or axle positioned at right angles to the driving shaft without the use of transmission gears and levers. a

These objects we accomplish with the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures and as described in the specification forming a part of this application and pointed out in the appended claim.

In th drawings in which we have shown a substantial embodiment of our invention, Figure l is a longitudinal section of the easing and the driven shaft with the manually operated clutch whereby power from the driving shaft may be imparted to the driven shaft to rotate said driven shaft in either direction as desired. Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the U-shaped connecting rods by which the pistons are held within their respective casings with the roller bearings thereon, parts cut away. Figure 4 is an end elevation of one of the piston casin Figure 5 is a side elevation of one of t e valves. Figure 6 is a lan view of the valve moving washer and sl iowing the operating pin, and connecting link. Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same link and the operating levers connected therewith and collar shown in section by which said levers are moved. The present invention consists of the driving shaft A on the -'end of which is carried the driving pinion B the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of two bevel gears 1 and 2, which in turn are carried on a flange bearing 4 and it is carried directly on a sleeve bearing 44 which is journalled on the driven shaft C. A slidable clutch 3 is splined on a flange bearing 4 which is also carried on said sleeve bearing and said Specification of Letters Patent Application filed July-14,

Patented June 6, 1922. 1919. Serial nasionsa.

clutch may be positioned between said bevel gears so that 1t may not; be in mesh with either or it .may be moved-longitudinally on said of said gears 1 and 2 as desired. Integral with said flange bearing 4 is the casing D flange bearing 4 to engag either of the device. Within said casing D is secured the hub 13 within which is bored three radially disposed piston chambers 5, 6 and 7, with the respective pistons 24 operable therein. There are three of said pistons and they are fastened to their respective connecting rods. The walls of each of said chambers are slotted to allow U-shaped connecting rods, 8, 9 and 10 to move said pistons longitudinally within their respective chambers. Roller bearings 11 are carried on the end portions of said connecting rods and are to be operated with the end portions of said connecting rods within two opposed eccentric cam tracks or channels 12 which are formed in the side faces of two opposed disks 23 and 23 which are secured to the bearing sleeve 44 within said casing D. The cylindrically shaped valves 14, 15 and 16, each having a plurality of ports 17 in its wall, are carried transversely in said chambers 5, 6, and 7 respectively, and may be partially rotated by the annular washer 27 which is also carried on said sleeve bearing 44. Transverse conduits 34 are rovided connecting the interior of said piston chambers 5, 6 and 7 with each other'and of the same size and number as the said ports 17 and said conduits 34 are open on one side to the interior of said chambers 5, 6, and 7. In order to effect the partial rotation of said valves a lug 18 is ongitudinally extended from the edge of each of said valves 14, 15 and 16, which lugs engage within slots 19 that are cut into the periphery of said annular washer. A manually operated chain of bell crank levers 20 having one end of one of the arms, or a link 21, ivoted on a pin 22 which is secured on t e face of said annular washer 27, is the means provided for partially rotating said valves to open and close saidports 17 in the valves 14, 15 and 16, and to the extent that said ports are opened or closed will the speed imparted to said shaft driving shaft A through the said bevel gears I and bevel pinion B, and when said casing'D is rotated, it carries the'U-shaped connecting rods with it. As the end portions of each of said connecting rods engage in the cam tracks 12, the pistons 24 are reciprocated in their respective chambers. If the ports of said chambers are open, no resistance will be offered to the movements of these elements and 10 to engage with the sides of the cam except the minor one of friction of the parts; but if the said chamber ports are closed or partially closed by rotating the valves 14, 15 and 16 resistance will be offered which will cause the connecting: rods 8, 9

tracks 12 and motion willbe imparted to the disk .plates 23 and 23', and as said disk plates are keyed on the sleeve bearing 44, which in turn is operatively connected with said shaft C, the said shaft will berotated;

The said sleeve bearing is connected with said shaft G through the flange on said and its pinion B and any driven element.

In the second, even though said clutch 3 engages one of the gears 1 or 2, and thereby the sleeve bearing 44, disks 23 and 23 and 1 all parts of the machine except shaft C are inoperation yet if the ports 17 are 0 on there will be no clutching with shaft as the flow of oil will be free and the load influence will overcome all friction of said moving parts, and they will not be moved. To move the load forward or backward at slow speed, the operator must offer resistance to such flow of oil, which is done by partially closing said ports17.

The operation of our device is as follows With oil supplied to fill the oil casing E to about two-thirds its capacity and power applied to the driving shaft A, motion will be imparted to the driven shaft C through the driving pinion B, as the clutch 3 is thrown into engagement with either of said ear wheels. As indicated by the arrows in igure 1, if the driving shaft A is rotated in the direction of arrow a the gear wheels 1 and 2 willbe rotated in oppositedirections and with said clutch 3 not engaged with either gear as shown in said Figure 1 no power will be transmitted to said shaft C. Now if the said clutch is thrown into engagement with gear. wheel 2 said wheel will be rotated as indicated by arrow 6, and the flange bearing 4, casing D and the parts therein, together with the sleeve bearing will'be rotated therewith and in the same direction, with such speed as -regulated by the position of ports 17 in thevalves 14, 15 and 16 with reference to the conduits 34. If said ports are closed the eccentric travel of the roller bearing end portions of said U- shaped connecting rods cannot take place'as said pistons 24 will not operate in their respective chambersand the fullpower and speed of said driving shaft will be imparted to said shaft 0. Now if the collar 25 is moved, the levers 20 and the link rod 21 will artially rotate the annular washer 27. The ugs 18 being within said slots 19 will be moved partially around the axis of said valves and the said valves will be moved to open or partially open said ports 17 to the conduits 34 in order that therewill be no vacuum in. said chambers 5, 6 and 7. The freedom with whichsaid pistons 24 may move in their respective chambers ,determines the speed imparted to said shaft C and correspondingly the ower transmitted.

When the said clutch 3 is thrown into engagement with the gear wheel 1 the flange bearing 4, sleeve bearing 44, casing D and the parts the'rein'will be rotated in the opposite direction as shown by arrow 0, pro-. vided .the said valve ports 17 are open and in partial or full alinement with the conduits 34. One portion of said sleeve bearing 44 carries the commonly used differential gears as shown at F. Levers to move said clutch 3 and collar 25 are-not shown but the usual grooves are cut in said members within which the lever may engage to move them.

We thus'provide in the present invention a new connection between the drivin and the driven shaft, also a novel means 0 preventing the movement of the pistons, and new and novel valves and ports to control the flow of the oil; and having thus described our invention and its 0 eration we desire to secure by Letters atent and claim In a machine of the class described the combination with a driving shaft and pinion gear thereon, of bevel gears whose teeth are engaged by the teeth of said pinion; a casing having a flanged portion thereon on which said bevel gears are journalled; a. clutch splined on said flange portion; radially disposed piston chambers within said casm having slots in their walls; pistons opera 1c in sand chambers; U-shapedconnecting rods fastened to said pistons and ing with which said driven shaft is connect- In testimony whereof We have afi'ixed our ed and on which the flanged portion of said signatures.

casing is journalled; spaced apart disks JOSEPH S WIGNALL JR keyed on said sleeve bearing and having op- L E M N posed bearing tracks therein Within Which the bearing. portions of said U-shaped con- Witnesses:

necting rods operate to impart motion from v A. R. WILsoN,

said driving to said driven shaft. DEON COLVIN. 

